Northern California Coastal & Inland Valleys

October, 2008
Regional Report

Books

Botanical Painting
If you like to dabble in sketching, watercolor, or oil painting, The Botanical Palette; Color for the Botanical Painter, by Margaret Stevens (Collins Publications, 2008; $29.95), might be a good book for your collection. The book clearly illustrates how to draw, shade, and color many varieties of flowers and plants. The book features 20 step-by-step demonstrations by top botanical artists. Each chapter focuses on a specific color, including black, and is beautifully illustrated with stunning botanical paintings. I found the details for creating petioles and leaf joints extremely helpful.

Tool or Gardening Product

UltraGrow Pot Liner
The UltraGrow Pot Liner is a plastic device that fits inside a pot prior to planting. It holds soil off the sides and bottom of the pot so you will never again have problems with poor drainage, root rot, fungus diseases, or overwatering. The clever fan-like design folds against the inner wall of a container to allow for maximum air circulation to the roots. It is perfect to use inside olive jar-shaped containers or pots with no drainage holes. For more info, go to: http://samplerewards.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&Product_ID=1392.